


In Your Dreams

by Tiny_Black_Cat



Category: Carmilla (Web Series)
Genre: ADHD!Danny, ADHD!Laura, Also PTSD!Danny, Angst, Danny getting tied up but not in a fun way, F/F, Multi, Nightmares, No discussions specifically using the words ADHD or PTSD but I think they're there, Post-Traumatic Stress Disorder - PTSD, Set during S3, Suicidal Thoughts, Where is Laf? we don't know (they're fine but not in the story), actuallyADHD, sad vampires, vampire!Danny
Language: English
Status: Completed
Published: 2018-06-04
Updated: 2018-06-06
Packaged: 2019-05-18 07:22:05
Rating: Not Rated
Warnings: Creator Chose Not To Use Archive Warnings
Chapters: 4
Words: 3,953
Publisher: archiveofourown.org
Story URL: https://archiveofourown.org/works/14848268
Author URL: https://archiveofourown.org/users/Tiny_Black_Cat/pseuds/Tiny_Black_Cat
Summary: In the library, Danny, Laura, and Carmilla try to get along.





	1. Chapter 1

**Author's Note:**

> I wasn't really a huge fan of Danny's characterization during season 3. However, Danny becoming a vampire is Excellent angst fodder.

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> This is long enough to be broken up into chapters, so I did, but it wasn't originally written to specifically have chapter breaks so I hope I broke it up well.
> 
> First started 10/12/16.

Danny walked silently into the library. She looked around and started towards the room she had found Laura before.

She saw them. Carmilla was curled around Laura. Both were fast asleep.

Danny paused. She remembered a time when Laura had fallen asleep next to her. When she had a crush on Laura. She remembered loving Laura and realizing Laura was falling for Carmilla. She remembered the heartbreak. She remembered promising herself that no matter what Laura did, she would always be there to protect her. No matter what.

She remembered dying in Laura's arms.

Then she woke up. She woke up with a desperate hunger. So she fed.

Danny remembered the woman who raised her from the dead, telling her she was above the Sisters who abandoned her. She was a vampire now, and she deserved loyalty. She had given so much, been so loyal, and the girl she loves (loved, the Dean reminded her) forgot her in Carmilla's arms.

 _It's a pity your friends forgot you_ , the Dean said. _Friendship is really the least they could do for one so bright and beautiful. What fickle creatures humans are._

The Dean spoke so convincingly that she really couldn't disagree. There was no one worth saving in this hell on earth. Why not let them go to hell?

Laura sighed in her sleep, drawing Danny out of her thoughts. In her sleep she didn't look like the girl Danny remembered. She looked like the Laura who told her the secret to killing Mattie. The one who thought she deserved better.

She felt like she was falling. Danny sat down on the couch facing the couple and drew her knees up to her chest. She let out a sob before slapping a hand over her mouth in an attempt to be silent. She shook with the cries she couldn't quite muffle. Her vision blurred.

Across from her Carmilla woke and immediately put an arm in front of Laura, glaring at the intruder.

"What," Laura mumbled before blinking awake. She focused on the figure on the couch. "Danny?" she asked.

Danny briefly met Laura's eyes. "I'm so sorry," she choked out. Her gaze went back to the floor.

Laura looked away in pity. Carmilla stayed alert and on defense.

After a while Danny collected herself and the room went quiet. "I'm sorry," she said again, avoiding their gaze. She got up to leave.

"Danny wait," said Laura. "Are you ... Why did you come here?"

"I came to kill you," she said hollowly.

"You can't just leave! It's the middle of the night!"

Carmilla looked at her girlfriend. "Laura...."

"Are you going back to the Dean?" Laura realized Danny couldn't return a failure. "Where else can you go?"

Danny tried think but she was exhausted. Wordlessly she walked back to the couch and curled up on it. She was asleep within a minute.

"She won't hurt us." Laura said. She yawned.

"I'm going to keep watch," Carmilla told her girlfriend. "Even if she's not a threat, others could be coming."

Laura nodded and rested her head on Carmilla's shoulder. Carmilla sensed she was already asleep. She stared across the room at the sleeping vampire.

 

***

 

When Laura woke it was early in the morning.

"Xena's still asleep."

Laura nodded.

"She was in pretty bad shape last night," Carmilla added.

"We can't kick her out."

Carmilla smiled humorlessly. "Of course not, cupcake. We'll just stay here and hope she doesn't want to snap my neck." She paused. "Mattie was the only vampire who was stronger than me. She could be terrifying, and that was when she was on our side."

"Carm...." Laura was at a loss for words.

Danny yawned and opened her eyes. She slowly sat up, realizing she was being watched.

Finally, Laura spoke. "Hey."

"Hey." Danny frowned. "Where do you guys get water?"

"There are vending machines."

Danny considered that. "K. I'm gonna go find one. Need anything?"

"I'm fine."

Danny looked at Carmilla. "Fangface?"

"Hmm. How 'bout a silver stake and some holy water? Can't be too careful these days."

Laura frowned at her girlfriend and Danny left the room.

 

***

 

Out of the corner of her eyes Carmilla saw the ginger giant return. She scowled at her book.

"Here."

Carmilla looked up. Danny stood facing her, pointing the blunt end of a silver stake towards her. The tip aimed towards Danny's heart.

Carmilla locked eyes with her as she placed a hand on the stake.

Danny didn't let go. "You asked, I delivered. Take a stab, Karnstein." Her hand covered Carmilla's, guiding her to attack.

"Please," Carmilla scoffed. "As if you couldn't snap my neck in two seconds."

"Well, what am I supposed to say? Tie me up, gag me, douse me in holy water?"

"In your dreams."

She growled. "How am I supposed to prove I don't want to kill you!"

"Danny!" Laura ran into the room. She saw the stake. "What's going on?"

Both vampires looked at her. Danny slowly released the stake. "Laura, I - "

"Nothing. Xena and I were just getting to know each other."

 

***

 

It was the first full night since Danny's arrival and it was getting late. It was not lost on either Laura or Danny how Carmilla was fighting off yawns as she read. Laura walked over to Carmilla and Danny studied her nails.

"Tired, Carm?"

Carmilla resisted the urge to yawn. "No."

"You were up all night last night. You should sleep."

"I'm fine, cupcake."

"You're not planning to stay up all night, are you?"

"Maybe."

"You can't do this every night. Danny's going to be here for a while."

"Laura, it's only one night - "

Danny sighed. "Like I said, you could tie me up."

Laura hesitated. "You don't have to do that."

"I do." She started looking around.

"If Danny is tied up, then will you sleep?"

Carmilla frowned. "How do we know Theo and his gang won't send a rescue party?"

"I can stay up to keep watch if you'll sleep."

Carmilla wasn't too pleased with that plan either, but she was too tired to complain. She fell asleep before she could approve Danny's knots.

Laura turned to find Danny had already made a pair of handcuffs. She held them up silently for Laura to tie and then she tied herself to one of the beams in the library.

"I'm sorry about this."

"It's fine." Danny sat down against the pillar. "I really hope the Dean doesn't send her minions, that's all."

Laura grabbed a pillow from the couch and offered it to Danny. "You're sure you'll be able to sleep like this?"

"Sure beats sleeping on the ground."

Laura looked at her. "Is that what you were doing?"

"Vampires guard the pits. Can't let anyone in or out." She shrugged. "Wasn't that bad. I'd rather sleep there than near the Dean."

She looked up at Laura. "She's awful. I can't imagine being around her for a year, let alone centuries. I don't know how Carmilla did it."

Laura took Danny's hand. "I'm glad it's over."

Danny nodded.

"You know, I'm not trying to get between you and Carmilla."

"I know."

"You've made your choice, and I can respect that."

"As long as we're still friends?"

"Of course."

Danny fell asleep holding Laura's hand.


	2. Chapter 2

**Summary for the Chapter:**

> It's gay
> 
> In this chapter there is snuggling, Danny/Carmilla bonding, and other cute stuff that make me want to punch a wall.
> 
> Disclaimer: I am no expert in polyamory and I'm sure Laura and Carmilla's conversation is most likely nothing like how it works in the Real World.

"Morning, buttercup."

Laura smiled and stood up. "Morning Carm. Good sleep?"

"It was ... fine. How's the ginger?"

"Asleep. I wanted to talk to you about that."

"Oh?"

Laura sat next to Carmilla. "Since you are, y'know, my girlfriend - and I'm your girlfriend - do you think you could try to be nicer to my friends?"

Carmilla's smile faded a little. "She did kill my sister. And I trust her even less now that she drinks blood."

"Look, I'm not asking you two to make out or anything, just - " she gestured to a tied-up Danny, "isn't that a little extreme?"

"Girl scout knows how to tie knots, I'll give her that."

"Carm?" Laura asked with equal parts pleading and frustration.

"Alright, she doesn't need to sleep under watch. Just don't ask me to share straws. She can drink her own blood."

Laura smiled and kissed her girlfriend. She hummed as she pushed Carmilla onto the couch.

"Wait. Does Danny need blood?"

Carmilla let out an exaggerated sigh. "She probably does."

"I'll go get some." She ran out of the room. Leave it to Laura Hollis to be bright and perky after a sleepless night.

Carmilla got up and examined Danny's bonds. Trying not to wake the vampire, she started to untie her wrists.

"Uh - hi?"

"Laura's finding you blood. She remembered you probably haven't eaten." Danny's hands were free and Carmilla went to untie the rest.

Danny rubbed her wrist. "What are you doing?"

"I'm practicing swordplay, what does it look like I'm doing?"

Carmilla undid the last knot. "Laura and I talked. She thought I was being a little strict, so I'm trying to ease up. Literally as well as metaphorically."

"Thanks? I dunno. It's too early for this." She stood up. "Yeah, thanks. Really."

"Anytime, Xena." Carmilla raised two fingers to her forehead and saluted, making a mocking gesture of respect.

 

***

 

Besides being a hiding place from an ancient god who wanted to kill them, the library offered little in the way of entertainment. Laura had finally managed to get enough wifi to stream a Gilmore Girls marathon. She sat on the couch with a bowl of popcorn and Carmilla by her side.

Danny returned from raiding the vending machine. She threw a couple bags of licorice on the desk and retreated to an armchair.

Laura looked back at her and paused the episode. "Come over here."

Danny knew there was no arguing with her. Laura patted the spot next to her and Danny sat. After one episode, she had both Danny and Carmilla snuggled next to her. After two, she was asleep on Danny's shoulder.

Carmilla looked at Laura and then met Danny's eyes.

"Should I ... ?" Danny trailed off as she shook her head.

"Don't wake her." Carmilla got up to cover herself and Laura with a blanket. As an afterthought, she draped the other side over Danny. She closed her eyes.

Danny turned off the computer screen and adjusted the blanket.

 

***

 

A few days later Laura found Carmilla with the philosophy books. She greeted her with a kiss. "Need something, cutie?"

"Yeah I was just - going to ask you a hypothetical question."

"Mm. Shall we sit?"

They sat facing each other with their backs to a bookshelf.

"So ... " Laura absentmindedly opened a book.

Carmilla smiled, watching her girlfriend. "Yes?"

"So you know, hypothetically, in a fictional setting, more than two people can be in a relationship right?"

"Yeah. Well, it's not unheard of."

"Okay then."

"Was that all you wanted to ask me?"

"Yeah."

"For sure?"

"Yeah. For now at least." She set the book down. "I don't want you to think I'm not loyal, because I am, and I don't want you to be jealous and I don't want to hurt you and I want to do this right and - "

"Laura." Carmilla grabbed her hand. "Talk to me about it and it'll be okay. Do you want to date me and someone else?"

"No. Not yet, I think."

"Okay then."

"Good."

Carmilla brushed Laura's hair away from her face. "I've lived three hundred year and I'm not sure what I did to deserve someone like you. In all fairness I have no more claim to you than your father, or Danny, or anyone. If you want me I want you and if in addition you want someone else... I will fight so hard to make it work. Okay?"

"I love you," said Laura before kissing her again.

 

***

 

"Hey Hollis?" Danny cursed the library again. She had gone through the magic door to shower and when she got out, she realized there were no towels.

She wrung out her hair and reluctantly stepped out of the shower. Drying her hands with a washcloth (thanks library), she opened the bathroom door.

"Laura?"

There was no Laura. Unfortunately, there was one very stunned vampire looking up from her book in amazement.

"You're not Laura," Danny said.

"Nope."

"Okay then."

Crickets.

"So the bathroom's out of towels."

"I see that."

"You wanna help me find some?"

Carmilla dramatically sighed before getting up off the couch. She opened the door Danny had closed behind her. "Looks like you have some now."

"Great."

Carmilla had a peculiar expression on her face as she returned to her book.


	3. Chapter 3

**Summary for the Chapter:**

> The sad chapter (happy, but sad)

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> TW for emotional/physical abuse by the Dean
> 
> Carmilla uses the fuck word if that bothers anyone

The library offered many things, but since beds were not one of them, the trio had taken to making blanket nests on the floor. The first time Laura had done this, Danny had slept on the couch.

Eventually, she was convinced to join the gays on the floor in a warm pile. She had learned that although Laura was always the middle of the blanket sandwich, a sleeping Carmilla liked to curl herself around any life form she could find. Danny was the earliest up and sometimes found Carmilla's arms reaching across Laura to hold Danny. Of course she knew Carmilla wouldn't do that on purpose.

Besides being the morning person, Danny sometimes awoke because of a nightmare. Neither of her friends knew, and she didn't want to bother them.

Yet one night Laura awoke to whimpering. She blinked back sleep and saw Danny.

"Stop," she said. "Stop it! They have to rest. Tell them to stop!"

"Danny," Laura touched her arm. "You're dreaming. Wake up."

Danny slapped her hand away. "Don't hurt her! I don't care if she's your daughter's girlfriend, don't - " She gasped in pain.

"Danny. Wake up. Carmilla!" Laura turned to shake her other friend.

Carmilla opened her eyes. "Yeah?"

Danny let out a strangled cry.

Carmilla sat up and crawled to Laura side.

"Danny." She smoothed the girl's hair. "It's a dream."

Danny's eyes opened. She looked around, disoriented.

"Hey." She looked in the direction of Carmilla's voice. "Laura, can you turn on a light?"

Danny focused on the vampire. "We're here in the library, okay? You're with me and Laura. There's no danger. She can't hurt us here."

Laura sat down next to Carmilla. "You're with us," Carmilla repeated. "You're safe." She watched until the terror left Danny's eyes.

Danny sat up and wrapped a blanket around herself. She finally noticed Laura, and avoided her gaze.

"I'm okay." She tugged at her blanket and stared at the floor.

"You wanna talk about it?" Carmilla's tone was teasing, but her offer was genuine.

Danny shook her head.

"Do you always have nightmares?" Laura asked.

"No."

"Is this the first time then?"

"No."

Once again Danny found herself vulnerable in front of Carmilla and Laura. She resisted the urge to cover her face in the blanket.

"How often?" Carmilla pressed.

She sighed. "Almost every night."

Carmilla smiled bitterly. "Figures." At Laura's questioning look she explained, "Mother was an expert on getting into people's heads. Hell, I still have nightmares. That's why you want to wake up next to someone, even if it's just the girls you fuck. Doesn't happen to me that often though."

Laura looked at her in pity.

"Are you going to sleep?" Carmilla looked from Laura to Danny.

Danny shrugged.

Carmilla got up to turn the lights off, leaving the dimmest one on.

Laura readjusted the blankets and led Danny back to where she was sleeping. Danny lay down and Laura curled up to her. "Goodnight," she whispered.

Carmilla resumed her spot on the right. She turned to face Danny.

"How did you survive?" the younger vampire asked.

"I'll tell you when I'm sure," Carmilla said. She laced her fingers through Danny's. "You'll be fine. Promise."

 

***

 

_Scraping of shovels against hard earth. Brown smudges on her face, clothes, hands. The eerie silence of the Silas student body. No one had the energy to protest anything anymore._

_She stood there, trying to appear alert. Trying not to let another sleepless night get to her. Trying to ignore that voice in her head some call a conscience. It had become easier._

_"My darling." The woman who possessed Perry had appeared. "How goes our great awakening? I do hope it isn't much trouble to oversee the Summer Unit. Consider this your well-deserved presidency."_

_Danny bowed her head. "It's nothing."_

_"Good. I'm glad_ someone _appreciates my generosity. The afterlife isn't all it's cracked up to be, is it?"_

The cold. Danny was only aware of the cold. It wasn't so much around her as it _was_ her. Her bones were ice and her flesh was snow.

It was noiseless. It was noiseless and dark and Danny screamed. And it was silent.

It was empty. She never slept. She had nothing but the company of her own thoughts, which were becoming more and more unreliable. Had she been here days? Weeks? Did it matter? Did anything?

_The Dean slapped Danny across the face. "I was talking."_

_She felt the sting of the slap. This was the first time this had happened in front of the Dean._

_"I'm sorry," she murmured._

_"You will be," the Dean promised. "I create you and I destroy you._ I _gave you loyalty. And I will have it." She stepped closer. "You would be wise to remember."_

_As Danny nodded she began to feel a searing pain between her shoulders. She heard the Dean walk away as she writhed in agony on the ground. She saw Laura's face, crying, holding her in her arms - "_

" - just a dream Danny it's not real!" Laura was nearly crying.

Danny tried to sort out what was happening and what had been memories. She recognized Laura and Carmilla on the floor beside her and breathed. She sat up to grab them in a hug - both of them. She closed her eyes and stroked someone's hair - wavy so probably Carmilla's.

She wasn't sure how long they would've held on to her if she hadn't let go. Laura smiled a little as she broke into tears yet again.

Carmilla had turned her face away and was suddenly very interested in a particular bookcase.

"Was it bad?"

Laura laughed and wiped her eyes. "Kinda."

"Sorry."

"Can we - we can't help you, can we." Laura answered her own question. "Unless vampires don't have to sleep?"

"We went through this last week," Carmilla said.

"It's fine," Danny said. "As long as I can wake up next to someone, there's no need to interrupt your guys' sleep."

"But Danny - we," Laura looked at Carmilla. She had finally shown her face. " - we love you," she finished. Carmilla gave the slightest of nods.

Danny's eyes watered. "Laura, it's two am, we need to talk about something unemotional."

"Okay." Carmilla said. "You wanna know how I deal with nightmares? Not healthily. You either stay up late until you sleep dreamlessly or you set an alarm and you don't let yourself sleep too long."

"So if I fall asleep now I could still dream?"

"Come over here."

Carmilla had Danny lie down and put Laura next to her. She helped Laura put their bed back together.

"You can sleep, and I'll wake you if you begin to have a nightmare. Okay?"

"Yeah."

She had a dreamless sleep under the watch of one girlfriend, next to her other girlfriend.


	4. Chapter 4

**Summary for the Chapter:**

> A resolution, sort of.

Laura woke up hugging Danny. She saw Carmilla was next to them reading a book.

"Morning."

Carmilla looked up from her book. "Morning, creampuff."

"Did everything go okay last night?"

"Yeah." Carmilla glanced at Danny. "As long as she doesn't sleep in she'll be fine."

"Good. So can I talk to you?"

Carmilla closed her book. "Yeah?"

"I mean, somewhere else."

"Uh ... sure?" She followed Laura into the library.

Once they were sitting, Laura spoke. "I don't know if you got the wrong idea last night." She paused. "You are my girlfriend, and I love you. And I love Danny, but I am in a monogamous relationship with you, so I'm not defining my love for Danny as romantic. But...."

"You want us to date Danny."

"Yeah, I think, if you want... If she wants to ...."

"You think this would be the best for us?"

"Us or," Laura gestured to the area they had come from, "us?"

"All of us. I don't know her thoughts on this and I'm - well, you know me. I don't share."

"I don't know," Laura admitted. "I just - I want to be loyal to you and I don't want to hurt you. I never want to hurt you." Her eyes sparkled.

"Laura...." Carmilla captured her girlfriend in a kiss and tasted Laura's tears. "I know you try to do the right thing. I know that." She pulled her into a hug.

After a while Laura let go and lay down with her head in Carmilla's lap. "Danny's a good person," she said at last.

She looked up to see Carmilla nodding, looking thoughtful.

"You agree with me?"

"Well," Carmilla spoke slowly. "I guess I don't want to rip out her throat."

She stroked Laura's hair and stared at the bookshelf.

"Alright cutie. We can give it a try."

Laura sat up. "You mean it?"

"Sure."

"You're positive?"

"Yeah."

"Honestly?"

Carmilla rolled her eyes, smiling. "You have to ask Danny too, right?"

 

***

 

They returned to find Danny almost awake. Her hair was in a messy ponytail and she was half out of the blankets she had slept in. She stretched her arms before opening her eyes.

She smiled at Carmilla and Laura. "Hey."

"Hey," Laura said. She looked expectantly at Carmilla.

"Hungry?" Carmilla asked. "We should probably eat and wake up - " a glance at Laura " - before anything."

Danny tried to figure out what had happened. "Okay?"

Two bloodbags and a Poptart later and they were back on the couch. It had not gone unnoticed that Laura was more hyper than usual. Danny couldn't get any clues from her or from Carmilla about it.

Danny tried to be casual. "So what did you guys want to talk about?"

Laura, bouncing off the walls with energy, ran out of words. "Um."

She looked past Danny to Carmilla.

"Don't look at me, it was her idea."

Bemused, Danny waited for Laura.

"Carmilla and I ... I mean, it was MY idea ... were wondering if you would be interested in polyamory. With us. Not in general. Like ... being the girlfriend of myself and Carmilla?"

Danny's eyes widened. "You're asking me to be your girlfriend?"

"Yeah."

She looked at Carmilla. "You - you're agreeing?"

"Yep." Carmilla' face was deliberately neutral.

"You - both - wanting me to be your girlfriend? Of course!" Danny tried and succeed in hugged them both simultaneously.

Danny released them. "Carmilla has a crush on me," she said trying not to smile.

"Shut up."

Laura could've sworn she was blushing.

Danny took a breath. "This is a good idea."

Laura smiled at her. "Yeah."

"Yeah," Danny repeated staring at her. She looked up at Carmilla. "And you're fine with this?"

Carmilla shrugged. "It's Laura's choice."

Danny nodded. Her mouth was suddenly very dry. "Laura, can I ... " she trailed off. Laura nodded.

Danny wrapped her fingers in Laura's hair and kissed her. It was slow and passionate, as if they wanted to savor this moment.

Only reluctantly did they break apart.

"Now what?" Carmilla asked.

Laura snapped out of her daze. "Now you and Danny kiss."

Carmilla made a face. "I don't want to kiss Xena."

"Yeah, Laura, we don't need to," Danny said. "We can just - " she made eye contact with Carmilla and both vampires lunged towards eachother. Carmilla growled as she kissed her. She pushed Danny down onto the couch.

Laura's look of horror turned to amusement. "Well, don't wait for me," she muttered before joining Carmilla in tackling Danny.


End file.
